1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to mechanical cork pullers of the type wherein the puller shaft is in meshed relationship with a pair of toothed sectors formed on rotatably mounted lever arms which serve to drive the puller shaft upwardly to raise and remove a cork, and relates more particularly to certain new and useful improvements in the construction of such mechanical cork pullers and in their method of manufacture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
All mechanical cork pullers of the aforementioned type heretofore known have been constructed with either a pin, rivet, screw or eyelet extending between opposed pairs of support ears, about which the lever arms rotate upon operation of the device.
A representative example of the previous constructions of these mechanical cork puller devices is illustrated in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, which is more fully described hereinafter.
The aforesaid known prior constructions of the mechanical cork pullers are disadvantageous for several reasons. Firstly, as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, the use of a pin, rivet, etc., for the mounting of the lever arms requires that the holes be drilled through the support ears and results in the appearance of unsightly circles or rivet or screw heads on the outer surfaces of the ears at the pivot points for the rotatable lever arms.
Secondly, the prior known constructions of mechanical cork pullers tend to develop locking, jamming or sticking problems. This is believed due to imprecise location and/or direction of the holes drilled through the support ears, or due to imprecise manufacture or insertion of the pins, rivets or eyelets, or, in the case of screws, excessive tightening of the screws, causing the support ears to inhibit freedom of movement of the lever arms.
In addition, manufacture and assembly of these prior known constructions is complicated because it requires (1) a precision drilling operation for the support ears, (2) a special tool and (3) a separate step for insertion of the pin, rivet, etc. through the ear holes, and (4) the separate manufacture or purchase of the pins, rivets, etc.